Sweet Kitty?

So much sugar has stealthed its way into the typical First World diet. If somebody else is doing the cooking or manufacturing of your food, you'd better believe 'there's sugar in them thar meals.'

It was in the cream cheese I had with my smoked salmon, and an ingredient in the bagel. (Here I was feeling smug because I said 'no' to the banana bread.) I shouldn't read labels so early in the morning, but since I'm trying to cut back on cereal (even non-sweetened cereal contains sugar) I didn't have a cereal box to read.

If I have a BLT for lunch there will be sugar in the bacon, the bread, the mayo, the tomato... basically everything but the lettuce. If I want chips with it...? Yep. More sugar. I was thinking of a pork steak for dinner. I'd slow-cook it in broth and add my favorite barbeque sauce (sugar alert!) for flavor. Most of that sauce goes down the drain, but not all.

Back in the days when obesity was not a national epidemic, the average adult woman had 6 teaspoons of sugar in her daily diet. Trying to dial back to that number is a challenge. At least 6 teaspoons are included in everything else, so extra 'sweets' would have to go.

But I do have help. Our cat, 'Kittygirl,' has come to the rescue. Hubby grabbed a package of our favorite chocolate chip cookies on a recent Costco run. I told myself I would not eat any of those cookies, but feared I'd have a weak moment.

The cookies were on our kitchen island. The package is heavy and we put more heavy things on it so 'Kittygirl' (our little island-hopper) wouldn't mistake it for a cat toy. I underestimated the little rascal. The following morning, the cookie package was on the floor. It had popped open upon impact.

There must have been an exciting game of cookie-hockey. One cookie was in the 'goal' under the kitchen table. The rest were scattered near the package, mixed in with the other floor debris.. As I have previously blogged, I'm not a housekeeper. The cookies had to go.

So, my new diet coach, Kittygirl, is setting a good example. Start your cardio workout with some jumping jacks, actively participate in sports, and knock off the sweets.